Electric bills at Barnett base on Mid-Mo board agenda

Administrator Lee Kempf updated the Mid-Mo Ambulance District board of directors about the Barnett base electric bill at the regular monthly meeting Wednesday, May 14. At the last meeting the board agreed that at $1,124.41, the bill was very high and instructed Kempf to look into it.

Kempf reported it had been discovered that the second meter put in to separate the garage and house bills had never been hooked to the garage. As a result, he was unable to determine if the garage was responsible for the high bill. He also reported when he turned the heat off in the garage, the bill went down. Therefore he believes that is the problem. The board discussed the possibility of putting a ceiling in the garage, along with insulation, caulking and correcting the ductwork. Once the meters are set up correctly, Kempf will look into options to fix the heating problem.

Kempf also reported the computer motherboard needs to be replaced on one of the eight E-Series Cardiac monitors purchased in 2012. The year-long warranty has expired leaving a $6,000 estimated for repairs. He is considering looking into extended warranties.

In another equipment-related issue an ambulance, returned to the North Carolina plant to correct unresolved electrical issues, is back in service at Mid-Mo. The truck was “pretty much stepped down and rewired.”

The board approved payment for bills and payroll. In other business, the April treasurer’s report of the balance on hand was $561,467.12. Run statistics were: Tipton - 44 calls with 34 transports; California - 51 calls, 36 transports; Versailles - 119 calls, 79 transports; and Barnett - 38 calls, 20 transports. District wide, there were 252 calls with 169 transports for a transport rate on patient contact calls of 78.6 percent.

After discussion by the board last month, the issue of the 457 retirement plan was tabled. It was taken up again, with input from the district’s representative about rules for withdrawal of funds, the board voted on, and approved unanimously, that employees will be able to get the district’s share of the 457 retirement account account at age 62 or if the employee becomes disabled. A second motion approved is that all newly hired employees will have to work six months, full time, before being eligible to enroll in the program.